Saturday, May 31, 2008

I've just completed the update of my website to include the latest batch of organic focal beads that I made last week.

All of the pictures are loaded and more information about their creation was included. Check out the What's New section for links and more information.Where's the New Stuff?

If you've been wondering where all are all the new beads lately in my Etsy Shop, then send me lots of good, creative energy this weekend. I'm planning on finishing up a custom set I've been working on and then getting more new beads made for next week.

Hopefully I'll have something to show you soon!

There are several great re-lists in my shop if you'd like to check them out. Perhaps one of your favorites is back one last time!

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Well, I've been having some trouble logging into my blog this evening and ate up all of my time that I had for blogging. I have too many passwords to remember.

I have passwords for multiple systems at work, bank accounts, computers here at the house, web sites, services... the list goes on and on.

Keeping unique ones for each is really taxing sometimes and my mind just farts and mixes them up in my head. Tonight was one of those nights and I couldn't get the right one for blogger until I walked away for a bit and then tried again. Voila! Success.

Maybe its a sign of me getting older--but not OLD! Maybe I just have too much on my mind. Maybe I should just forget about it and get on with my life and stop obsessing over them.

Monday, May 26, 2008

As I am writing this, my office is well over 80 degrees and the rest of the house is barely any cooler. Summer has hit today and I am feeling the heat. I cannot wait to go sit in a cool bath and relax a bit before bedtime.

We could sure your a nice cool storm to come through and make everything comfortable again. Perhaps this bead will help. It's called "Triton's Storm", and it is an organic focal in cool shades of turquoise and transparent blues. White foam and storm clouds encircle this bead, while patches of blue ocean do peek through the tempest.

It's a great little focal and will be added to my Etsy Shop in the morning. There are more pictures that will be posted there, and you can see all of the secrets this bead has to offer!

Friday, May 23, 2008

I had a brain fart last night and forgot to blog about the new bead I was going to post into my Etsy Shop. I don't know where my head was at, but don't worry. With the holiday weekend upon us, I decided to hold off adding the new bead until after the break.

The new bead will be posted here Monday night and in my shop on Tuesday, so you haven't missed a thing!

I hope you all have a wonderful, fun and, most importantly, safe Memorial Day weekend!

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

You might think that they are related by looking at the name, Ruby Rivers.

They're not even related, but this bead is certainly a star with its bright pink highlights against a charcoal gray background that ebbs with lighter shades of blues and ivories.

The pink worked out so nicely with the darker colors in this bead, I'm so glad I gave it a try. Pink, especially transparent pink, can be a tricky color to get to come out in the appropriate shades. Fortunately this bead, which was going to be a black and white only bead initially, all came together as it should.

There is a lot if depth and organic patterns in this bead that will make for a very intersting piece of jewelry.

Come and visit my Etsy Shop in the morning and see the rest of the pictures for yourself.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

The focal for tomorrow's new listing in my Etsy Shop was almost given a completely different name. Would it have mattered?

Created in a warm color palette, I decided to experiment a bit with form and create a very different kind of bicone bead--at least for me. Using a razor blade tool, I worked in the ridges that you see in this bead once the main shaping had been completed.

The indentations give this bead a wonderful texture as well as a look that I really like. I'll probably do some more unusual shaping once my new tools arrive since I think they will make it a bit easier yet.

I've named this bead Rootbeer Barrel partially due to it's shape with the banding around it and partially due to the rich colors of the bead and the chocolate capped ends. The ivory accents look like rootbeer foam and this one is good enough to eat.

I do hope you will enjoy this one. I'm adding to the my Etsy Shop in the morning.

What was the other name that I almost gave it, you ask? Why, Ribbed For Your Pleasure, of course!

Monday, May 19, 2008

This stunning bead has a secret, and it's hiding behind the waterfall.

When I took this bead from the kiln, I was surprised to see what appeared to be a cave recessed into the depths of this bead behind a formation that I think looks like a waterfall pattern on the surface of the bead.

While I've made these types of organic beads before, I've never had one with a transparent window into the interior of the bead like this one.

Multiple shades of pastel and transparent green glass give a mossy, forest-like feel to the bead. The ends have been capped in black for a contrast that makes the colors come alive.

This bicone focal is titled "The Secret Cave" and will be available in my in my Etsy Shop in the morning. There will be many more pictures, so I hope you can stop by and take a look!

Sunday, May 18, 2008

While I'm still awaiting for my new tools to arrive, I did get some more beads made today and will have new focal beads in the next day or two. Right now they are in kiln annealing and getting ready for life in the world.

In between making beads and visiting the glass store, I did get some new updates loaded into the web site.

Along with many more earring pictures, there more pictures of this new rose pendant and the two focal beads that were posted to my Etsy Shop last week.

You can find more information on all of the new additions to my web site HERE.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Today the monthly newsletter for the Creative Glass Guild of Etsy (CGGE) e-mailed their monthly newsletter to all members. In the newsletter, this blog has been selected as the featured blog of the month!

Thank you so much CGGE and welcome new readers! I hope you like what you see, and stop by often!

I try to keep the blog interesting, on topic, for the most part, and fun to check out. I also regulary preview new items coming to shop here before they get listed. Like this one...

Just Cloning Around

Tomorrow morning, I will be adding this VERY BRIGHT organic focal to my Etsy shop. This bead is entitled "Clones Of Jupiter".

As with Navajo Blanket, I've used a few of the new colors in this bead to see how they would turn out in the organic design. New colors used in this bead are both by CIM--Lipstick and Sangre.

I love how well they mixed in with some Electric Yellow and Dark Ivory in this bead. It colors just flow and swirl around this bead like a gaseous atmosphere of a large planet--can you think of which one?

Anyway, I hope you like it and will stop by tomorrow and see all of the pictures!

Remember Multimedia?

Back in December, as some of you may know, I bought a new Mac computer to enable me to speed up photo and web site editing and include some new multi-media features like podcasts, tutorial movies, etc.

Well, so far you've probably been wondering "Where the hell is the multimedia?"

I can now tell you that my first podcast is coming very soon. I'm learning GarageBand, which came with my Mac, and planning out the first episode.

Monday, May 12, 2008

Navajo Blanket is the title of this new focal bead that I made yesterday. It's got a rich, organic palette in shades of purple and blue with some ivories and tans thrown into the mix.

Capped with black ends to really accentuate the colors, this large bicone focal is a real winner and should be quite stunning in any creation you can imagine.

This bead has so much detail and depth to it that it really must be seen and inspected in person to really see the colors play with each other.

Why is it named Navajo Blanket, you ask? Well, it's what I thought of when I looked at the bead. The black ends make the bead look like it has been wrapped up in something. The soft color palettes reminded me of an almost southwestern design. Bring the two concepts together and that how I named it.

You can call it whatever you want when it's yours, however. I will be adding this beauty to my Etsy Shop first thing in the morning with many more pictures. I hope you will stop by!

Just a quick post this morning to let you know that I added a new gallery to my website yesterday for your viewing pleasuring.

The new gallery is dedicated to a new gift item that I've added to my offerings, beaded letter openers. The one shown here is entitled Middle Earth and has a very rich palette of earthy golds and browns on a gold tone opener.

I made up 6 new ones for my show last week, and now you can see them HERE.

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

First off, let me say, "Thank You" for all the well wishes for my show today that I have received. I really appreciate it and the show went very well. I had some new customers and repeat buyers alike purchase my work. That made me feel great.

Thank you to all of you wonderful folks!

Now the Not So Great

After waiting and waiting and waiting. Septemberfest's letter arrived today, and I didn't get into the show. I am on a waiting list, but that isn't something that can be counted on at this point.

Once I got home and checked my e-mail this evening, I got the notification from the second show. I didn't get accepted into that one either.

WOW, a double whammy. One show rejected me late while the other one did it early to create the perfect storm of OUCH.

Now its time to pick myself back up and keep moving forward which I am doing. It's just a little tough to be rejected by both shows nearly simultaneously. Now I'm focusing back onto my work, new designs and creations since I don't have a production schedule to keep any longer.

There are some shows in the late fall that I'll be looking into and more will be coming about those as they develop.

There is a glass sculpting class coming up in July that I'm looking forward to. It's being taught by Ken Herman whom I saw demonstrate his craft a few weeks back. Click HERE for the blog entry about his work.

Monday, May 5, 2008

Once I have the show on Wednesday, I will have lots of great pictures for the web site in some new categories.

Tonight I created five new letter openers and three new wine/bottle stoppers that I cannot wait to show off, but I don't have the strength to upload the pictures to the web site and set up the new galleries tonight.

I also haven't named any of the new earrings, bottle stoppers or letter openers that I created in the last few days either. Fortunately, all of the pictures have been imported, color corrected and cropped (where necessary) thanks to my very helpful computer.

Now it's just a matter of getting the galleries up so you can see them. However, I hate making you wait, so here's a sneek peek at one of the new letter openers.

About Me

I love the challenge and reward of working with hot glass in my home studio.
I work full-time as a computer programmer and follow my artistic tendencies during my free time and on the weekends.
Color is one of my primary influences in my work and I usually employ bold colors in my designs.
My customers are all over the globe and I always strive to ensure they are treated in the same manner as I like to be when making a purchase.